Irrigated Acres in the Sub-Basins

Of the four subbasins that make up the Suwannee Basin, almost all of the irrigation occurs in the Withlacoochee, and its upstream Little and Alapaha subbasins. The relatively large Suwannee subbasin has almost no irrigation water use. Furthermore, the irrigated area in the Alapaha basin lies almost entirely in its northern half. Wetland and other soils that are unsuitable for crop production in the Coastal Plain Flatwoods Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) have limited irrigation development to upland soil areas. Within other basins, soils again limit where irrigation occurs. Upland areas between wetter riparian areas are used for irrigated crop production, although streams and ponds in the riparian areas are commonly sources of irrigation water. In the Ochlocknee Basin, the upper and lower subbasins have most of the irrigation, although the other subbasins have relatively small areas in Georgia.